Nashville Two
by Freyalinn
Summary: Missing scenes and extended scenes from every episode from season 2.
1. Chapter 1

**The words in bold is lines and dialogue from the show,** the words in normal is all mine.

* * *

Episode 1

 _When Deacon finds out Rayna has woken up from her coma._

She was alive, she was alive. Rayna had woken up from her coma and was out of danger. Rayna was going to live. So he had prayed for this to happen, he had never been a religious man, but this perhaps showed there maybe was a God. Even one who listens to his sorry drunken ass. Finally he got some news about Rayna, they hadn´t said anything up till now how much he kept asking. When he didn´t hear anything he assumed the worst, that she was dead. That he finally had done what everyone feared, hurt Rayna. Wrong, worse than just hurt, that he actually killed her. He deserved any punishment they could give him, if he killed her he deserved to rot in this prison.

Before this wonderful news that Rayna was going to make it, when he thought he might have killed her. He took the blame for the accident, he wasn´t driving, but he was the cause of it. If he hadn´t been drinking, she hadn´t tried to take the bottle away from him and they hadn´t crashed. Hell, if he had just answered one of her calls, they wouldn´t be in that car arguing. Then they could have yelled at each other far away from any car and traffic, somewhere safe.

When Maddie had come to his house and told him that she thought he was her father, he didn´t believe her. That was absurd, why would she think that. Rayna would have told him. She wouldn´t have kept such a big thing from her. Then when he talked to Rayna and she confirmed it, he got sad, confused and angry. He got so heartbroken and furious that his brain had a meltdown.

He went directly from Rayna to a bar and ordered a whiskey. At first he just stared at it for a long time, then in one full sweep he threw away thirteen years of sobriety and drank the whiskey. Not only did that one devastating move ruined his sobriety, it also almost killed the love of his life. The mother of his daughter, the daughter he never knew he had but always wished he had.

How many times did he sometimes think and wished she was, dreamt that Maddie was his and Rayna´s. How much he wanted to have a child with Rayna. Now Maddie isn´t a little child anymore, but she was theirs. Their love had created that wonderful girl he had known all her life and loved. And now he almost killed her mother and would have left not only Maddie, but Daphne, sweet little Daphne motherless. And deprived the entire world hearing her beautiful voice, no more new music from Rayna Jaymes. Oh my God, he didn´t want to think about that, what a cruel world that would be. He dosen´t want to live if that happens.

Deacon has thought a lot during these weeks after the accident. Would it gone differently if Rayna herself told him? Probably not at the time, but somewhere down the road. What would he done if Rayna told him when Maddie was five years old or eight? Knowing himself, he most likely would have done the same. He didn´t know a goddamn thing about being a father and his sorry excuse bastard father wasn´t any role model. Taking the alcohol way, to suppress his feelings by drinking was the easy way.

He would like to think he would have stepped up if he known from the start, if Rayna told him before Maddie was born. That he would fight his addictions with everything he got for not only Rayna´s sake anymore, but for their unborn baby too. He was so angry that he had been lied to for so many years, by the woman he loved.

Now the anger was gone, the accident killed all the angry feelings he felt and all that was left was sadness. Sad that he was such a mess back then that Rayna didn´t even tell him. She must have some very specific reasons to not tell him, probably little help from Teddy. Sad that he didn´t remember the night they conceived Maddie. And the saddest thing of them all, that he probably lost Rayna again.

All these years he wished Rayna would divorce Teddy and come back to him, miraculous it did happen. They had been so happy, so looking forward to spend the rest of their lives together and he screwed it up again. Him choosing the bottle again instead of talking it out, let her explain why. God dammit, why didn´t he answer her calls. He so wished he did now. But nope, straight to the nearest bar and drinking again. Same old Deacon.

But never again, he knows now that he won´t ever drink another drop. He doesn´t know how many times he has said that in the past, but he knows that it´s the truth, this time it´s for real. He would never fall of the wagon again. Not only for Rayna´s sake, but for Maddie too. Rayna would probably never talk to him again or even let him come close to her or Maddie after this, but he would do whatever it takes to get Rayna´s trust again. He loves her, always had, always will. That is the truth, simple as that.

Thank God she didn´t die. Now he doesn´t have to live with the fact that he killed the woman he loves. He can go back to what he does best, wait for her. Somehow he just knows that this isn´t the end for them, they will love each other again, someday.

Rayna was going to live. Deacon exhaled and for the first time since the accident he smiled.

* * *

Episode 2

 _Deacon calls Rayna before they meet at the flowered crash site._

"Hey Ray. It´s me."

"What do you want Deacon?"

"Please don´t hang up. I want to talk to you. I know you probably don´t want anything to do with me, but I just want to talk to you, need to talk with you."

"That´s great, now you want to talk. When I needed to talk to you, you didn´t answer any of my calls."

"I know that. I´m so sorry Ray. You have no idea how much I wish I did, then all of this wouldn´t have happened. If I could go back and change I would, hell I would change a lot if I could go back in time. I need to explain."

"What´s there to explain? You found out you were a father and then you started drinking again and almost killed both of us. It´s pretty simple."

"You lied to me Ray, for thirteen years. You didn´t tell me that I had a daughter."

"I know it´s shocking big news and that I lied to you, I get that. I don´t deny that it would be too much for anyone to hear, but don´t you think that it was exactly this that I feared. You don´t know how many times I wanted to tell you, so many times. But I feared you wouldn´t take it well and start drinking again. So I kept telling me one more year for you to stay sober and get stronger and then you maybe would cope with the secret better, but as the years rolled on it got more complicated."

"Complicated, huh?"

"Yes. What about Maddie? How would I explain to her that her daddy isn´t her daddy, but her uncle Deacon is. It never seemed to be a good opportunity to tell her. Don´t think it was easy not to tell you, the lie was like a heavy stone on my conscience, weighted down on me. I cried myself to sleep many nights."

"I felt betrayed by you, I never thought you could do something like that to me."

"You have every right to be angry at me, but we talked for like five minutes then you just disappeared. You didn´t answer my calls or came to see me. I didn´t get hold of you and all my fears and worries came back and then the call I dreaded came. Coleman had found you drunk and you had trashed your house. Why Deacon? Why did you jump straight to alcohol, why couldn´t you talked to me more, yelled at me instead?"

"I don´t know why. I don´t have any good answers. I was so hurt, so furious I didn´t know what I was doing. I´m sorry. I´m so sorry Rayna. For the accident, for hurting you, for almost killing you. That´s one thing I wanted to talk with you. I need to ask you how you are? They wouldn´t give me any news about you in jail. They just said you woke up from your coma.."

"I´m fine. I will live."

"Did you get any injuries? Head, arms, legs or anything?"

"I will be fine. The bruises have healed. Look Deacon, I have things to do..."

"Can we meet?"

"Deacon."

"Please Rayna, I need to see you, need to see for myself that you are okay. I love you, I need to see you."

"I don´t think..."

"Please Rayna. Please come, let me see you."

"Ok, where are you?"

"I´m at the crash site."

* * *

Episode 3

 _Rayna and Bucky is talking in her living room._

 **"No, no, let´s figure this out. How are we gonna get me out of my Edgehill contract?"**

 **"Well, it´s not gonna be easy. You still owe them a record. And you´d have to buy yourself out."**

"What do you think it will cost? To buy out everything?"

"I don´t know. 10 to 15 millions, maybe even more. Jeff isn´t gonna make it cheaper for you."

"That´s a lot of money. I don´t know if I can get hold of that sum of money. Any suggestions?"

"I have one, but you are not gonna like it."

"What Bucky?" By reading his face she instant knew what he was going to say. "No! No, I´m not gonna ask Daddy."

"Asking your father is the easy and fast way to get those kind of money."

"And the hard way?"

"Well, I´m not any financial or economic expert, but I guess most of your assets are tied up and together with Teddy, so you need his consent and signature, maybe take a mortgage on the house would work."

"It´s a bit risky, don´t you think? Literally bet my house on my label. If it dosen´t work out I lose my house."

"Yes, it´s not ideal no. But I have faith in you, you will be an amazing label head Ray."

* * *

Episode 4

 _Rayna and Juliette is talking when Rayna is picking up Maddie after she ran away from the ball._

 **"I picked her up at a gas station. She walked a couple miles from Symphony Hall. Fell asleep about five minutes ago."**

 **"She just walked?"**

 **"Yes. She´s all right."**

 **"I´ve been beside myself."**

 **"I guess you really do need to be home with your family."**

 **"Yeah. Well, I´m really sorry to drag you into all this."**

 **"No, I told her that she could call me if she ever needed to talk. I think the person that she really wants to talk to is you though, about her father, Deacon."**

 **Rayna looked at Juliette with a little panic in her eyes. "Don´t worry. My lips are sealed.** Did he just find out?"

"Yes."

"That´s explains why he fell off the wagon then. At least it was a legit reason and not a normal lover quarrel between you two." Juliette noticed Rayna´s gaze. "I figured you guys were back together. I saw how you looked at each other at the CMA rehearsal and how he looked at you when he invited you up at the Bluebird and you sang together."

"He has been doing so good, been so strong all these years. I so wish he hadn´t gone back to his old ways."

"To some degree I understand him, the woman he loves kept this from him. I´m sure you had very good reasons why. I´m not gonna be nosy and ask what they are, but I know Maddie thinks the accident is her fault. She told me she snoop around and found a paper saying Teddy wasn´t her father and she was the one telling Deacon."

"It isn´t her fault."

"No, it isn´t and now she thinks Deacon is a bad person. I didn´t know him when he was drinking, but I have my own experience with alcoholics and drug addicts. The Deacon I know is a good and kind person and I think you wouldn´t stayed with him all those years if he was a horrible abusing violent drunk. I suggest you talk to Maddie about Deacon, how you met, what he meant for you. So she will not be afraid to be around him. Try to explain alcoholism for her. Deacon isn´t a bad person."

"No, he isn´t. He would never physically hurt anyone he loves. **This has all been real hard on Maddie. None of this has been what I would have wanted or ... What I would have planned."**

 **"I guess at some point it´s not about what you want anymore. You just gotta do what you gotta do."**

 **"I am sorry about the tour."**

 **"Me too. But as you said, I will figure something out. I always do."**

 **...**

 _Rayna and Maddie is talking about Deacon._

"I thought we could talk about Deacon for a moment. Try to explain why I did or rather Teddy and I didn´t tell Deacon, when I got pregnant with you. I suspected that it could be Deacon´s, but we did the paternity test after we got married. You know now that Deacon is a alcoholic. How much do you know about alcoholism Maddie?"

"People that drink too much. They can´t walk or talk straight, yelling loud and they hit people."

"That could be true in many cases, but some people just become very talkative. Everybody reacts differently when being influenced by alcohol. Alcoholics don´t just drink too much, they can´t stop drinking. It´s a disease. Most alcoholics need help to stop drinking, some more help than others. Deacon couldn´t stop on his own, he did try several times but always fell back after various amounts of time. Even with the help he didn´t make it until he did, but it took five times of rehab visits."

"Why did that time work and not the others?"

"That is one question I have asked myself many times. It could be the different rehab, or different doctors, or the the fact that I broke up with him. The other times I was always waiting when he got out. I have no idea why it helped that fifth time. But it was this way of life I couldn´t live anymore. I couldn´t let a baby grow up with the disappointment, him go missing, not coming home at nights, the blackouts and seeing his or hers daddy drunk most of the time. I loved Deacon, I loved him so much. When he asked me to marry him, I was so happy."

"Deacon asked you to marry him?"

"Yes, we spend the night together, but in the morning he had been drinking and he forgot he asked me. When I found out I was pregnant, I had already broken up with Deacon and had started dating Teddy. Deacon was back in rehab again. I wanted nothing else to be Deacon´s wife and raise you up together, but he couldn´t provide a stable, safe and loving home at that time. So we decided not to tell Deacon and me and Teddy got married. That was wrong of us, we should have told Deacon and at some point we should have told you. But it never seemed to be a good time to tell you that your father wasn´t your real father."

"What if telling Deacon he was going to be a father would have made him stop drinking?"

"Knowing now that the last rehab would work I would have waited for him and tell him. I would like to think he would have stopped if he had known. Because he loved you and Daphne from the start so he probably would fight his addictions with everything he got. We denied his right to be with you, he should have gotten to know you."

"But I have known Deacon all my life."

"Yes, that was my way of a compromise to my conscience. Deacon did get sober and stayed sober, so I hired him back in my band. I couldn´t tell him, but at least he could be around you and get to know you and you him. Even if both of you didn´t know the truth. I just wanted to protect you. I´m so sorry Maddie, for not telling either of you. If I could change everything, I would make it right."

"I know Mom. Were you ever scared of Deacon when he drank?"

"Yes, I was. Not of him, not that he would hit me or hurt. But that he might drive drunk and kill himself or others. Juliette said that you mention how Deacon could do this and if he was a dangerous man."

"Yes, if he loves you so much, how could he do this?"

"I was the one driving, I have a blame in this too. We were arguing in the car and I wasn´t paying enough attention on the road as I should have. Deacon isn´t a bad man, if he was I wouldn´t been with him all those years. He was my first real love, I met him when I was sixteen. We were friends before we become a couple. He was so handsome, so funny and had loads of charm. **Deacon wrote A Life That´s Good on a napkin at the Bluebird Cafe. I was singing at an open mic night, and he came in and said he was inspired to write it just by looking at me. Think I fell in love with him in all of ten minutes."**

 **"That´s a great song."**

 **"It´s a great song. Honey, I ... I really do want us to be able to talk about all this stuff. And I know it´s hard. It´s a big change for both of us. But I´m your mama, and I´m here for you. And I really hope that you will ... Run toward me, not run away from me. Let´s not push each other away over this. We´re all we´ve got. I love you."**

 **"I love you."**

* * *

Episode 5

 _Rayna and Deacon is talking at her house about her voice._

 **"Hey."**

 **"I´m sorry. I let myself in. The girls here? I can leave."**

 **"No, they´re not here. What´s going on?"**

 **"Why didn´t you tell me?"**

 **"Tell you what?**

 **"That you can´t sing."**

 **"Who´d you hear that from?"**

 **"Well, it is true?"**

 **"I´m working with a vocal therapist. It´s taking some time."**

 **"Yeah, but can you sing?**

 **"Well, we´re working on it."**

 **"Can you sing, Rayna?"**

 **""I said we´re working on it."**

 **"Can you sing?"**

 **"I don´t know! I don´t know! I don´t know!"** Rayna shouted as Deacon raised his voice and repeated **"Can you sing?"** at the same time.

 **"I´m not quite sure what´s gonna come out of my mouth when I open it.** My vocal cords got damaged by the intubation tube. My throat feels tight, my vocal therapist says it´s still healing, but my voice doesn´t sound normal to me. **Everything´s different now."**

 **"Yeah."**

"I don´t know how I will finish my album now. If I want my label, Jeff demands I finish my album first. I think I have to buy myself out of Edgehill, but I don´t know exactly how I will raise the money."

"You are gonna leave Edgehill? You have been there a long time, you practically built that company."

"Well, Jeff Fordham is forcing me out, his vision for the company don´t consist with mine. I don´t fit in anymore. **How´s your hand?"**

 **"I´m done.** I can´t hold a chord for even one second before it´s hurting, a sharp pain starting in my hand shooting up through my entire arm **. Not gonna be anybody´s guitarist anytime soon."**

 **"You don´t need to be anybody´s guitar player. You might need to take a minute, figure out who you are without a guitar in your hand."**

"Doing what Rayna? Playing guitar is the only one thing I´m good at. And I can´t play with one hand."

"That´s not true Deacon. You are good at many things. You can still write music."

"And do what with it if I can´t play it?"

"You can help Scarlett, you can sell your songs to other artists. You could go into the producer side of the business, I don´t know. **But don´t you ever say you´re done with music.** You are so talented. I refuse to believe you will never play guitar again."

 **"You either, ok?"**


	2. Chapter 2

Episode 6

 _Rayna and Tandy is talking at the polo match._

"We have been at this stupid event for hours now and I haven´t been able to speak to the point with any of these so called my people and acquaintances. Something is always coming in between, they don´t even want to hear what I have to say and change the subject. Someone else comes over and interrupt, some lady said she didn´t handle the money, her husband did. Someone else didn´t even like music. I will never get anyone to sponsor or invest in my label."

"No, those I talked to didn´t seen too keen on it either. But I met more people with Bill´s attitude, that was fun. I did even run into someone that told me it was nice hearing our father got arrested, that he finally got what he deserved, that was fun too."

"It was a waste of time to come here. I really do hate these events."

"I hate these hats, who decided big hats was a good idea to be wearing. **Gosh, I think you had the right idea avoiding these people for years."**

 **"I think I did too**. It´s nice to hear that you finally see it my way."

* * *

Episode 7

 _Rayna and Deacon is talking about that Maddie wants to see him._

 **"Hey Ray."**

 **"Hey."**

 **"Come on in."**

 **"Thanks."**

 **"How are you doing?"**

 **"I´m good. You know, I´ve been going to meetings, things."**

 **"Oh, I wasn´t checking up on you or anything."**

 **"You ok?"**

 **"Um ... Yeah. Teddy is getting married tomorrow, so ..."**

 **"I heard."**

 **"And you know Maddie has been having a hard time."**

 **"Uh-huh."**

 **"And, uh, she asked about you, and ... I think she really wants to see you.** I told her a little about how we met, how you wrote A Life That´s Good on a napkin. She absolutely loves that song, she has been listening to it nonstop, your whole album actually."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. **I just wanna find out how you feel about that.** Do you want to get to know her more, be more involved in her life?"

"If Maddie wants to spend time with me then I would love that. I do would like to get to know her better. **How do you feel about it?"**

 **"It worries me. I don´t know if it´s the right thing. For her. For us."**

 **"You´re worried about me. It´s ok. I understand."**

 **"She´s my daughter. I don´t wanna hurt her."**

 **"It´s a lot easier when I was uncle Deacon, huh? I´d teach her a chord, and she´d give me that big smile of hers."**

 **"Yeah, there was a lot that used to be easier."**

 **"I wanna do right by her, Ray. I wanna do this thing. But I just ... I feel like I gotta bring something to the table, I gotta be someone she can be proud of ..."**

"Yeah, I just need to know that she can count on you. Because I´m not gonna open up that door if I think there´s a chance you might close it on her. If you do this, you have to be all in. You can´t shut her out when it becomes tough. She will ask questions, a lot of questions. The easy ones about music and guitars isn´t gonna be a problem, but after the easy ones comes the hard questions. About your drinking, about your childhood and about us. I touched the subject of alcoholics and alcoholism, but she is bound to have more questions."

"What do I answer her? I don´t think she is old enough to hear everything and if I do, she might be afraid of me because of all the things I have done."

"I know it´s hard. I haven´t told her everything yet either. One, she hasn´t asked about it and two, the private stuff about us, she doesn´t need to know. But in general terms, how we met, how it was on the road touring, stick to the truth as much as you can. You can always steer the conversation back to music, tell her about all the country stars we have met during the years, she would love that. Music is the one thing we all have in common. You are allowed to say that some stuff is private, you don´t have to answer every question, but you can´t run away from her if you agree to do this. **So, I´d like you to think about that."**

 **...**

 _Deacon and Avery talks in the car to Murfreesboro._

 **"I gotta ask, why Shotgun Sally´s?"**

 **"It´s the first place I ever got the nerve to get up on stage. It was an open mic night."**

 **"How´d it go?"**

 **"What?"**

 **"How´d it go?"**

 **"Good. You know, it was good. I played something I wrote. I thought they´d kick me out, They didn´t. They listened. Good a place as any to start over."**

 **"Have you even set foot in the Bluebird since the accident? You know, just for a cup of coffee? Because, you know, folks there still talk about you all the time. They miss you.** They miss hearing you sing."

 **"They miss the Deacon they used to know. Guitar hero, Rayna´s side man. That guy is not around anymore."**

 **"So what? You´re never going back? You´re just gonna avoid anyone who knew you before the accident? That´s a ... That´s a great plan.** They are your friends. They like to see you, talk to you."

 **"Hey, you think I don´t wanna go back? Huh? You think ... You think I don´t miss those people myself?"**

 **"Ok, then. What´s stopping you?"**

 **"There´s a look that people get when you disappoint them. It´s in their eyes, on their face, you know? I´m just tired of that damn look."**

"Disappoint them how? For not playing guitar for them? I´m sure they don´t care about that. They are just happy to see you, to see that you survived the accident, both you and Rayna."

"Well, if it´s not disappointment, then it´s pity and that´s even worse. They feel pity because I can´t play guitar anymore."

"You are being ridiculous. You are overthinking this."

"Am I?"

"Yes, you are. Believe me, people want to see you perform with or without a guitar. Don´t waste that talent of yours on dive bars again."

"I will think about it. Let´s see how this goes first."

"Sure, it´s your call. We are almost there anyway."

* * *

Episode 8

 _Rayna rescues Scarlett from Jeff´s company before she is to go on stage._

 **"Jeff Fordham."**

 **"Rayna Jaymes."**

 **"What a treat. Did you come out to see Scarlett´s show?"**

 **"I came out early just to catch it."**

 **"Well, she´s gonna kill it. You ready to head out?"** Rayna said to Scarlett.

 **"Mmm-hmm."**

 **"All right. We will see you later."**

Rayna and Scarlett walked away.

 **"Surprised to see you here. Thought you´d be tied up at home."** Jeff called out to Rayna.

 **"Bet you did."** She answered back.

"What did he say to you?"

"That I don´t answer to you, but to him. That he is the one to call all the shots from now on."

"That´s a bunch of bullshit. Don´t listen to him. I signed you to my label and though it´s still under Edgehill flag, I´m your boss. I´m working on buying me and my label out so no one can tell my artists what to do or don´t do. I heard about the press conference and I´m sorry I wasn´t there to stop him, help you."

"It´s ok, you couldn´t have known. I think I need to toughen up a bit more like you said, but I didn´t think this was how it worked in this business. I thought it was about the music, writing and performing."

"That´s what I want this label to be. A safe haven where the music is put first, the creative side second and the more boring stuff long down on the list."

"I´m glad I signed with you, that sounds so good and I bet much better than Jeff can ever think of."

"Yeah, Jeff Fordham isn´t from a musical background, he just goes for the numbers and sell figures. All that counts is money, money, money. But forget about Jeff now, you go out and dazzle them, knock them out."

* * *

Episode 9

 _Rayna is thinking when Maddie and Deacon is singing at Maddie´s open mic._

She wonder if Teddy knows that Deacon wrote the song Maddie is singing. What the song mean to Deacon or to her, if so he would be double annoyed right about now then. She also wonders if it means more to Maddie than a great song now when she knows the story behind the song. It probably does as Maddie had listened to it for weeks and more intense after Rayna told her the story. Not to mention how she has been practising playing it this week before this open mic set.

Rayna could see and sense the contrast between Maddie´s two fathers. Up on stage, she saw Deacon looking at Maddie with so much warmth, love and pride. His whole body language expressed he was happy and in awe of this young girl that he now knows is his daughter. Beside her she could almost feel the anger that radiated from Teddy as longer the song went on.

She had kept her promise to Teddy and hadn´t told Deacon the truth, but now that he knows and hopefully the worst is behind them, she is glad that the secret is out. Deacon deserves to know that their love resulted in this beautiful girl. And this changed a lot for her too, now she can share all these things about Maddie with him as she have wanted from the start. Not right now, it´s still a bit strange between them, but hopefully that will change with more time.

Judging by the other night when she and Maddie went to the Bluebird and saw Deacon sing, he was in a much better place now. His hand had apparently not healed enough for him to play yet, but she still refuse to believe he never would play guitar again. But he was happy and he wanted to spend time with Maddie. She was sure they would work out the things between them so they maybe could go back to be friends, but not lovers again, since he was with Megan and she was with Luke. She does hope Deacon comes to her one day and want to talk about Maddie, how it was when she was pregnant with her, Maddie´s first years, she could show him some pictures. Yes, after tonight she could go home and sort out some pictures without Teddy in them, just to be prepared if Deacon comes to talk.

Their eyes met and her heart beat a little faster. They had one of their famous conversations without words by just looking at each other. They had a daughter together, this beautiful talented girl is their daughter. They created a life together, something good came out of their love when it was in the darkest period of their lives. Deacon´s eyes warmed her heart and she know it was going to be all right.

* * *

Episode 10

 _Deacon and Gunnar is talking by the toilet town slot._

 **"Yeah, well at least you got a spot."**

 **"Yeah. Only cost me one of my favourite songs. Jeff wanted it for Will Lexington."**

 **"In return for a great place at the festival."**

 **"Yeah. 'With a bunch of label execs in the audience who might want to sign you, Gunnar.' I doubt they will be down here at 11.00 a.m."**

 **"Yeah, I don´t expect they will be, Welcome to the club of the rejected."**

 **"Why? What did Jeff do to you?** How did you get screwed over?"

 **"Not Jeff. Somebody else just playing personal politics.** Rayna´s ex-husband Teddy Conrad have never liked me and this is Teddy´s event. He must have seen my name on the list or someone told him and he pulled me from the list. Yesterday when the booker confirmed to me it wasn´t a problem. His way to get at me."

"That sucks. And Jeff putting me down here sucks also. I can´t believe I sold my song for this I should have demanded more details before I agreed. **I´m just looking for a break, man."**

 **"Tell me about it.** Do you want to do something about it? Do you want to get even, well not even but maybe a little retaliation. **How about you and me partner up?**

 **"What do you mean?** Do what?"

 **"Inside of these fences, they can tell us where we play, if we play. But right outside, they can´t tell us a damn thing.** I got an idea. You may have to revive that outlaw image you tired out before."

"What!"

"Nothing illegal I think, but may be a bit on the gray scale. I know more when I have made some phone calls. Swing by my house later today and we can talk more then."


	3. Chapter 3

Episode 11

 _Rayna and Daphne talks in the car on their way to pick up Maddie._

"I want to learn how to play guitar too, Mom. Do you think Deacon can give me lessons, like he does with Maddie?"

"I´m sure he would love to, but I think we should let Maddie and Deacon have some alone time for now, to get to know each other better. Me and Teddy did wrong when we decided to keep this a secret from both of them."

"Why did you?"

"Well, I had already broken up with Deacon and was dating your dad. Deacon was fighting his addictions and was in the worst shape of his life and well... it´s complicated."

"But you could still marry Dad and tell Deacon. I don´t understand why you couldn´t. Deacon has always been so kind and happy to see us, He has always played with us and took us to the zoo. He brought us birthday presents when we were little."

"I know sweetie, the Deacon you know has been sober the entire time you have known him and I pray you never will see him drunk. But he is a different person when he drinks."

"I know he is an alcoholic, but I don´t think he would have hurt Maddie. I don´t think Deacon would do that."

"Now I know he wouldn´t, but back then I couldn´t take the risk. I needed to protect my unborn baby from the unstable life situation we ended up with somehow. I was a mess back then, feeling sad, hurt and terrified sometimes. Tired all the time worrying me sick about Deacon, if he would hurt himself or anyone else. That´s when I met you dad and he saved me back then, but we got a turmoil start and well it´s complicated. Lying about something as this big is so wrong and if I got the chance to do it all over I would, but now I have to pay the price for it."

"Ok." They were both silent for a while before Daphne spoke again.

"Mom, Deacon isn´t your boyfriend anymore, is he? He hasn´t come for dinner again and when he drops Maddie off he don´t stay. Is it because he found out about Maddie?"

Rayna turned her head and looked at Daphne with an astonished and light frightened gaze before turning back to the road. "What do you mean?"

"Before the accident, you said that he was your boyfriend and he was taking you as his date to the CMAs. When he came for dinner before that, both of you two looked so happy and was looking at each other a lot, so I figured you two were together then. We all had fun that evening, but he has never been over for dinner again."

"No, Deacon and I are not together anymore. And yes it´s because of Deacon found out about Maddie. He was angry at me for not telling him the truth, I was angry at him for drinking again and causing the accident that almost killed both of us. I blamed him, but I had a big part in the accident too. We shouldn´t have been arguing in the car."

"I´m sorry Mom. I like Deacon. I was hoping..."

"What? You was hoping what?"

"When Dad married Peggy and they told me they were having a baby, I looked forward to being a big sister. I was so happy and now when that isn´t gonna happen, I was hoping that you and Deacon would get married and maybe would have a baby eventually."

"Oh Daphne. That´s not gonna happen. I broke up with him when I was still angry after the accident and it´s been so strange between us ever since, but we are working on how we could put this behind us and become friends again. I think we are making progress, last time we spoke wasn´t so bad."

"That´s good. But since he is Maddie´s father, he can come for dinner more often right?"

Rayna chuckled. "Yes he can. We just need to ask him, you should ask him."

"Ok, I will."

* * *

Episode 12

 _Deacon is thinking after both Rayna and Megan left after he and Rayna wrote This Time._

Deacon looked at the door. That felt like yesterday, writing with Rayna again. He was surprised when she asked him to write a song with her, never thought that would ever happen again. It felt so good, how much he had missed that. Not just writing, but feel the connection between them again. At first it was awkward and stiff between them, but after they had order take out, the awkwardness were long gone and it felt like it used to do.

If you took away the love, they had known each other and been around each other since Rayna was sixteen. They started as friends and he hoped she still considering them to be friends even after all that crap he put her through. He felt he got back the old Rayna, not to love as he would like, but she was in his life again. Having Rayna there, in his living room looking more beautiful than ever and singing this incredible song they wrote just in one afternoon, was not what he could ever guess would happen when he woke up this morning.

He liked Megan, he really did and they were having fun together. But when he and Rayna just sang now, he only saw and heard Rayna. Everything else just disappeared and his feelings for her blossomed up. She was so beautiful, looked so happy and right there he saw for a few seconds she felt it too. He had to fight his urge to kiss her and it was for the best that Megan came when she did. It got a bit of an awkward moment when Rayna gathered all her things and said her goodbyes and left.

He felt guilty and he should. He really wanted to kiss Rayna, to taste her, touch her and make love to her. Do all those things they usually do after written a song. Honestly, he isn´t sure he wouldn´t have if Megan hadn´t interrupted them. He got caught in the moment. felt so strong that anything could have happened.

* * *

Episode 13

 _Deacon and Joey from Belcourt Records talks at his house._

 **"You want to make noise in this marketplace?"**

 **"Yes, I do."**

 **"Then put out an album of duets with all your famous friends."**

 **"Come on, man. You want me to call up everybody I know and ask them for that kind of favour? Do you know how much people ask them?"**

 **"Hey, hey. You´re not a beggar in the streets. You´re a legend in this town. Singing with you would be an honour, not a favour. Hell, word gets out that you´re asking, you´ll turn folks away."**

 **"You know, even if that is true, I just..."**

 **"Deacon."**

 **"I can´t do it, Joey."**

 **"It´ll get your name out there. Might even get you on the radio. Now, do you want to break out or not?"**

"Yes, but I don´t want to bother or beg my friends to do this with me. If it was just to sing a song, that´s one thing. But to ask them for the time to write a song, record it, that´s asking a lot."

"But you must have written hundreds of songs? Some of them should be of hit potentials and not been recorded."

"Well, it´s true, I have written a lot of songs, but they were either to Rayna or about Rayna. But I have actually not written with so many other people as you think. It´s a short list. And I can´t ask people to sing old songs, they have to be written with the artist so they will get anything out of this than just helping me out."

"Well, it´s your choice, but I think it´s the best way for you Deacon. You are not a new artist or a young one either. Just think about it, will you?"

"Yeah, I will do that."

* * *

Episode 14

 _Rayna thinks when she is looking at the file Tandy gave her about her mother´s death._

Is it really possible Daddy can be behind this? He has done a lot of things, but could he have done this? He surely has a lot of illegal things on his conscience, but this is big, it should be too big even for Lamar Wyatt. But he lied about his whereabouts, that´s a fact, so he could lie about other things.

She knows Tandy lied about Watty, about Daddy´s arrest, about going to the spa and the real reason why Teddy all of a sudden wanted to be mayor. And speaking of Teddy, he lied about a lot of things too, his business deals, their financial situation, his mistress.

What a family, a bunch of liars. And she wasn´t any better, she lied to the love of her life, she lied to Deacon, not telling him about Maddie. Kept that they had a daughter together. Poor girls, growing up in this family. Rayna hides her face in her hands and cried.

* * *

Episode 15

 _Rayna and Deacon is talking about Lamar at her house._

 **"I´m just sorry Ray. And I know you´re angry, but maybe you just got to leave a little room to think maybe they were just hiding some of that truth to protect you."**

 **"No, they were lying."**

 **"Sometimes, people do the wrong things for the right reasons. They don´t intend to harm you. They just... They´re trying to make the best of a bad situation."**

 **"Yeah. Sometimes, people do that. But not this time.** I appreciate you trying to make me feel a little less guilty over what I did Deacon, but I think you can´t compare these two situations with each other. They lied to me deliberately, simple as that. All of them, Daddy, Tandy and Teddy."

"I can agree on Lamar and Teddy are two lying bastards, but Tandy is your sister and she loves you, she has always looked after you. She would lie to protect you and you would do the same if the tables were turned."

"Maybe, depends what it was about. You know, when Daddy came home from the hospital after his heart attack we had a long talk. It turned out he did support me, secretly financed my first album. He had a box full with scraps and articles from my early career. It felt like we buried the hatchet a bit and then he agreed to lend me money for me to buy out Highway 65. That was of course one day before he got arrested for racketeering amongst other charges and they froze all his money."

"I´m so sorry Ray. Asking your father for money couldn´t be an easy decision. You turned away his help and wouldn´t touch his money all your life."

"That´s right, I would rather sing on the streets for money, then turning to Daddy for money or help. I have continued that path until now when we had that talk and I finally thought I could have a normal relationship with my father. How I could think that is a mystery, I should have known better. Then they dropped the charges and he was released, I made a joke to Tandy that maybe he was actually innocent. That´s when she dropped the bomb, that he was involved in my mother´s death. Tandy had put a private detective on it and gave me the file."

"No, what did the file say? Was the detective able to find any proof?"

"It was strong evidence that it wasn´t a normal accident. The circumstances with his whereabouts that evening wasn´t what he said they were. There was proof he was in Nashville that evening. It was a lot that didn´t add up."

"I know Lamar did do a lot of bad things, but to run his own wife off the road sounds a bit cold even for him."

"That´s Daddy for you. She was leaving him for another man, I guess he couldn´t let her do that." Rayna felt some tears pouring up and soon she was in full tears.

"Come here Ray." Deacon took her in his arms for a gentle hug. Rayna cried on his shoulder. "I´m here for you, Ray."

* * *

Episode 16

 _Deacon calls Rayna after he doesn´t get hold of Megan._

"Hello."

"Hey Ray, it´s me. I´m not calling too late, am I?"

Hey. No, it´s not too late. What´s on your mind?"

"Nothing much, I just wanted to kill some time. I run into Ruth Bennett today, you remember her?"

"Yes, I do. She was one of my backup singers. I think she quit after the Red Velvet tour."

"Yeah, that´s right. She wanted to try out for a solo career, unfortunate for her, it didn´t turn out like she wanted to. I met her at an AA-meeting out here, so I guess she hit a few bumps in the road."

"Oh, I didn´t know that she went solo, that´s too bad it didn´t go well. She had such a great voice and was so kind to everyone. Out there you said and killing time, where are you?"

"Didn´t I tell you that I signed with Belcourt Records? I´m out playing a few gigs in places that are actually not dumps and dive bars, but the motels are as I remember them to be. So I went to an AA-meeting here in the middle of nowhere in Virgina and Ruth came up to me and said hello. We took a coffee and talked afterwards."

"No, you didn´t tell me. That´s great you are out playing again. See, I told you that you would play guitar again. I didn´t have any doubt about that."

"Yes, you said that. But with that pain I was feeling then and not be able to do a simple chord didn´t raise my hope."

"So how was Ruth doing now then? Besides she has to go to AA-meetings?"

"She was good. She owns and runs a bakery now."

"Yeah? That sounds nice."

"Yeah, it was fun to talk about the good old days for a bit. I will not hold you up anymore. Good night Ray."

"Night Deacon."


	4. Chapter 4

Episode 17

 _Daphne opens the door to Maddie´s room._

 **"Have you been playing the guitar? You´re gonna get in big trouble.** Daddy is going to be angry if he finds out."

"Then he better not find out then."

"I will not tell. Did you finish the song?"

No, I was doing another song."

"What song? Can I hear it?

"No, I´m busy Daphne."

"Please."

"No, get out. Leave me alone."

"Come on Maddie. I want to hear it."

 **"Just stay out of my business! Why can´t I ever be by myself."**

* * *

Episode 18

 _Deacon and Teddy arguing when he is picking up Maddie, who sneaked out to Deacon._

 **"Look, I wasn´t kept in the loop on this, or else I..."**

 **"There was no need to keep you in the loop."**

 **"Well, yeah, 'cos I could´ve come to her.** If you just would have called me, it would have saved all of us some trouble. **I don´t think part of her punishment should be taking away her music."**

 **"Music is the problem. And you can feel free to give me parenting advice once you´ve actually raised a child for 14 years."**

 **"Yeah, well, I was kept out of that loop too.** You guys didn´t bother to tell me, remember?"

 **"Look, you may have some biological connection here, but you are not her parent. She is grounded. And she will not be seeing you here or at your concert."**

"What is your problem man? I have been playing by your rules. I just want to get to know Maddie better, spend time with her. I bet you wish like hell Maddie hadn´t found that paper and the secret is out, but now when it is and me and Maddie knows, you just have to deal with it. You said it yourself that she will watch me and everything I do, so I´m trying here."

"Well, she is still grounded. She was rude to me and didn´t do her homework. I told her twice and still caught her playing guitar."

"You could have told me this instead of yelling at me. How can I know if no one tells me. Of course homework goes before playing, I will not argue about that. But taking it away completely will make you lose her, trust me. My old man broke a couple of guitars to punish me, that made me resentful towards him and then he hadn´t even start beating me."

"Did your father beat you?"

"He was a mean old drunk and liked using his fists. That´s ancient history now. Anyway, back to topic. You know how it went when Lamar told Rayna she couldn´t sing and perform right? Now the bastard kicked her out, but if not she would have run away sooner or later. The music means that much to her, it´s a part of her life."

"Oh yeah, I know all about that. Her music and career means more to her than her family. It is more important to her than her daughters, sometimes I wondered why she even had any kids."

"What are you saying? Are you crazy? That´s not true. Rayna loves her girls, they are her life, they mean everything to her. Rayna is a wonderful mama. You know that music was a big part of her life when you married her, or did you assumed she would stop touring and be a housewife?" Deacon chuckles. "Then you didn´t get to know her that deep before you married her. But music hasn´t ever been your strong side, have it?"

"I don´t want to hear about how the music connects you two. I know all about it already, lived it for years."

"What I´m saying is be careful, Maddie will turn away from you if you take away the music. You better get going, Maddie has waited long enough now in the car."

Teddy left without any further words just a angry and stern gaze.

 **...**

 _Rayna and Maddie talks about her video she posted on the internet._

 **"Don´t play games with me. You know what´s going on. That video. 'Maddie Claybourne'? What are you thinking?"**

 **"It´s the truth. I am Deacon´s daughter."**

 **"It is the truth, but it´s your truth. That´s personal for you. That´s not for the whole world and everybody on the internet to know."**

 **"I want the world to know. Why don´t you?"**

 **"Because I want to protect you. I don´t want people that you don´t even know weighing in on your life. People can be cruel and heartless. I don´t want that for you."**

 **"No. You want to protect you. You don´t want the world to know that you have an illegitimate daughter."**

 **"Don´t you ever, ever say that. Don´t you even think it. That´s not true. Your father and Deacon and I love you, and you are wanted.** Me and Deacon always planned on having a family and even if it didn´t turn out that way, you are our precious girl. Both mine and Deacon´s life was a mess at the time, but I will not regret loving him or that you turned out to be Deacon´s instead of Teddy´s. Teddy loved you from the second he held you in his arms and so did Deacon. And me, well, I had already loved you for 8 months, ever since I found out. You were most wanted, believe me. The only thing I regret is that I didn´t tell Deacon, that he knew our love created a beautiful baby girl. **And we all want to protect you. So, you got to take that video down before it gets out of control.** Please Maddie, take it down."

"Ok I will. I´m so sorry Mom.

* * *

Episode 19

 _Filling in the blanks between Rayna and Deacon´s conversation at the cabin about the secret is out._

 **"How the hell could you bring him up here?"**

 **"Because I didn´t know what I was gonna find when I got here."**

 **"What are you even doing here?"**

 **"I have been trying to call you for the last 24 hours. You can´t just run away like this every time things get hard!"**

 **"It´s not even your business, Rayna, all right?"**

 **"What are you talking about?"**

 **"It´s none of your business at all! Did she call you?"**

 **"Who?"**

 **"Megan!"**

 **"No."**

 **"Why the hell are you here?"**

 **"Because the entire world knows about our daughter."**

"What?"

"Maddie posted a video on the internet with the name of Maddie Claybourne. I have rules for the girls about social media. They are only allowed to chat with their friends in closed channels, not posting any pictures or private information."

"She did what?"

"It started with they met Luke´s son and sort of made a short video that he posted on his site. We left them together for like 10 minutes, but we made him take it down immediately. Maddie posted her video a few days later, Luke´s son found it, told Luke who told me. I had Maddie take it down, but guess it was too late. Next morning it was on the View, discussing our daughter and who is her father."

"What are they saying?"

"That she is a love child."

"That wasn´t too bad, was it? It´s kinda the truth."

"They were kind enough, but everyone knows now, the tabloids will not be that nice."

 **"Maddie Claybourne, huh?** I kinda like the sound of that. You know how often I wished we had a child together? Besides quit drinking earlier, my biggest regret is that we never started the family we always thought we would have one day. She really used the name Maddie Claybourne?"

 **"Yeah, she was mad at Teddy, didn´t think it through."**

Deacon sighed. **"What do you want to do?"**

 **"I think we´re gonna have to confront it head on. And that means all three of us."**

 **"Now, you, me and Teddy?"**

 **"Yeah."**

 **"One big happy family?"**

 **"Yeah."**

 **"No."**

 **"You´re not listening to me. Your front lawn right now is teeming with reporters. My girls can´t even go to school. That´s not ok with me. So, we have get to control this conversation and put this to an end."**

 **"All right, I understand that, but I can´t do that ok?"**

 **"Why not?"**

 **"I tell you what. You ask good old Teddy, all right? The hero. The pillar of society."**

 **"Come on, now. Listen, I know it´s not easy for either one of you dealing with all this with Maddie, but... you have got to think about her right now."**

 **"I do think about her. Ok, Rayna?** I hate as much as you do that the world knows, I don´t need that. Founding out Maddie is our daughter is a dream come true. **I think about her all the time, every single day, and there is nothing I would not do for her, but I can´t be with him in a room, 'cos if I am, I´m gonna kill him right in front of her and in front of everybody! That´s not gonna help no one!"**

 **"Why?"**

 **"You ask him."**

* * *

Episode 20

 _Rayna and Deacon talks about Scarlett at the clinic._

 **"The only thing we Claybourne´s are good at is blaming other people for our problems. Beverly just unloaded on me. That´s never fun, But it´s even worse when I realise that she sounds just like me. Blaming you for things that, uh, you couldn´t control. None of this is your fault."**

 **"I was trying to protect her. I mean, when I started Highway 65, that was the whole point, you know? I want to create a refuge for these artists, try to protect them from all the pain that this can bring, you know?"**

"I know, Ray. She loves working with you, she admires you a great deal."

"If only I didn´t have to wrestle with Jeff Fordham all this time, maybe I might have seen something before it went this far. I should have been there by her side for all that stuff, the press, the photo shoot, for everything as it was new to her. I promised her I would be, and I wasn´t. But no, Jeff took all my time, fighting me on every step of the way from the start."

"Ray, it´s not your fault. I was with Scarlett on a couple of shows and when she was home, she didn´t say that anything was wrong. And I didn´t notice anything out of the ordinary. Just one morning when I was making breakfast and I went to check if she wanted some, she wasn´t in her bed and it hadn´t been slept in either. So I called her and she was still in the studio working with Liam. As I have done my share of working all night I didn´t see any wrong with that. I know I shouldn´t have trusted him, I never liked the guy."

"It´s partially my fault. I let Scarlett work with him. I trusted him, he is a great producer. Sure, he is at first sight not that likeable, but when you get to know him, he is fun to be around. First time we met he shut the door in my face. Luckily he changed his mind. He is extremely good at what he does, and I think I have a killer album he produced. I was so looking forward to release it, but don´t think I can now. I would never think he would give Scarlett drugs, that´s unacceptable. It was bad enough that he slept with her. So now I don´t know what I will do. I´m so proud of my album, but how can I release it when I can´t stand up for what he did to Scarlett, I can´t support that."

"Of course you can, Ray. Sure, he produced it, but it´s your album, your songs, your lyrics. What Liam did is as you said unacceptable, but what we both forgetting here is that Scarlett took these pills and not once but on several occasions. And mixing booze and pills we both know is bad and honestly so should Scarlett. With the Claybourne genes in her blood she should definitely know that."

 **"I remember how you were when she was first born. Never seen you like that."**

"Yeah, it was the best good thing that happened to our family in a long time. She was so tiny and so beautiful. She stole my heart."

"Yes, babies usually does that."

"I wish we had visited her more when she was little. Growing up with Bevelry can´t have been easy. She is my sister, but she has been mentally unstable a few times."

"You are a great uncle to her, Deacon, the best. You have supported her throughtout her life, you sent Beverly money once we started making some. **I don´t know what I´m gonna do about this label. But I know Scarlett is family.** We just have to continue to be there for her when she needs us."

* * *

Episode 21

 _Rayna and Deacon talks at Fort Campbell._

 **"They´re pretty great out there."**

 **"Yeah, they are. Hey, thank you for letting Maddie stay with you these last few days."**

 **"It was fun."**

 **"Good."**

"I really enjoyed it. I should be the one thanking you for letting Maddie stay with me, giving us time to be together. **She asks a lot of questions, though, doesn´t she?"**

 **"Uh-oh."**

 **"Kind of kicked up a lot of stuff with me. I´d love to air it out, if that´s all right?"**

 **"Oh, lets do that at some point."**

 **"I think right now is the time. I told you I was never gonna forgive you, for not telling me about her 14 years ago, and I´m not. 'Cos that would mean you did something wrong. You didn´t. You were just protecting our little girl. I finally get that. All I ever did was give you hell for it, and I´m sorry. I´m grateful."**

 **"Thank you."**

"She asked me where I was on the day she was born."

"What did you say?"

"I said I was on the road. The truth is I have no idea where I was, I know her birthday now, but back then I have no idea. That entire year is a lot of blank spots. I can´t tell her that I didn´t care where I was as long as I was far away from Nashville, so I wouldn´t hear all about Rayna Jaymes having a baby with businessman Teddy Conrad."

"I´m sorry, Deacon."

"I´m the one that is sorry. And she asked me if I ever thought of marrying you. Fortunately for me the lasagna burned a little so I got away without answering. I know we talked about it before, but I find it hard to know how much I should tell her, how much you want her to know of our past."

"Well, stick to the truth, she has probably found all there is of us on the internet. Just avoid the details of the private nature."

"Yeah, I´m not likely gonna tell her the things I did to her mama. That would be so awkward and would gross her out."

"That´s parenting for you. Love, hate, embarrassing, ashamed of and incurious is just a few things children feel for their parents."

"She did her homework the other day, algebra. Thank god, she didn´t need any help, that looked so complexed and complicated to me. She is such a smart girl, how did she turn out like that with my genes?"

"No idea, homework and school weren´t my best thing either. But she got your guitar skills, though."

"Yeah, that´s good and luckily she got your looks then mine. She is one talented young lady."

"That she is."

 **...**

 _Deacon and Teddy talks at Fort Campbell._

 **"Can I ask you a question? I was wondering if you could tell me about the night... the night that Maddie was born. Look, you raised a hell of a girl, Teddy. And you were there for all of it. I just... I want to know what I missed."**

 **"Rayna laboured most of the night at home. By the time we got to the hospital, they rushed us right into the delivery room, and Maddie was born right before sunrise. She came out crying. Man, she had a set of lungs on her. Still does. Anyway, um... They swaddled her up, and I held her real tight till she calmed down. And in... In that moment, I ... It was a love I´d never known before."**

"And Rayna? Was she in much pain?"

"Hard to tell. She said she expected it would be worse, but to me it looked like it was very painful. It sure wasn´t a picnic in the park. With Daphne it seemed to go a bit easier. Anyway, when they had cleaned Rayna up and I laid Maddie on her chest for the first time, it was a beautiful moment. She looked so beautiful and so happy. Don´t think I ever seen her that happy before."

"Thank you Teddy. I appreciated it."

* * *

Episode 22

 _Deacon is thinking before he goes over to Rayna._

Deacon shut the door and sat down in his armchair. He just got home from Rayna´s show on the LP Field. That was a surprise, and not a pleasant one. He knows that Rayna and Luke were together, but that it was getting that serious, he didn´t know. When he stood there and witnessed Luke´s proposal, he got more shocked than he expected. He didn´t expect that he had to see it. See another man propose to the woman he loves.

It was a complete surprise and by the looks of Maddie´s and Daphne´s faces, they didn´t seem to know that was happening either. Maddie told him that Daphne really liked Luke, always was near him when he was around. But she didn´t look that thrilled about this anyhow. In fact, they looked horrified, especially Maddie. He just wanted to take them both in his arms, hugging them, telling them, that everything is going to be all right. There was no way Rayna could marry Luke, was it? Could she really love him that much? She actually didn´t say yes, but she kissed him and said she loved him.

He knows she wasn´t indifferent towards him, he felt something when they wrote This Time, she had a special look in her eyes. And the other day when she was at his house to pick up the guitar he was gonna give Maddie, she was looking at him in a special way when she said 'I sure as hell wish it was the way it used to be'. He had always been able to read her and see things about her that nobody else could, maybe except from Bucky, he was pretty good at reading her too. When he told Rayna at Fort Campbell, that he finally understood why Rayna did what she did, he saw such much feelings display in her eyes. When he started talking it was sadness and she almost was in tears when he told her he would never forgive her and then when he was done, it was relief. He almost kissed her, he wanted so badly to do it.

Then when Rayna and the girls decided to do his song, he felt such joy bubble up inside of him. It amplified when Rayna asked him to join them on stage, well technically it was Maddie´s idea, but still and Daphne encourage that he was welcome to join them made him almost run to them. Then when they all sang together. Him, Rayna, Maddie and Daphne, all four together like a family. That is a moment he will treasure forever. He definitely felt their connection there. She still loved him, but was it enough.

Deacon turned his head and took the framed picture of them performing at Fort Campbell that Maddie gave both him and Rayna. He looked at it and smiled. When the picture was taken he had his arm around her shoulders and they were looking into each others eyes and he could almost see the love between them. It reminded him about old pictures of them when they were young. He did feel the love at that very moment, but was it enough? Would she give him another chance, if he would fight for her this time? He didn´t have the opportunity last time Rayna was about to marry someone else. Would he destroy everything he worked so hard for, to get her trust again, to go back to normal between them, if he would do something. But he couldn´t just sit on his ass while she yet married another man. He loved her so much, always had and most likely would do for the rest of his life.

Deacon stroked over Rayna´s cheek, she looked so beautiful. He turned his attention to Maddie. It´s incredible that this young girl is his daughter, their daughter. And sweet little Daphne is beaming with happiness. They are so alike their mama, three beautiful ladies. If he only didn´t have screwed up when he found out Maddie was his daughter, he would still be with Rayna and by now when the anger should have passed, they were the ones to be planning their wedding, not Rayna and Luke. They were always meant to be together, he loves her and the girls. He wants them to be a family. He has always wanted that and he can´t let her marry someone else without telling her, fighting for her.

He stroked the picture one last time, put it back on the table and went to his bedroom. He took a ring from the side desk, the same ring he proposed with at the cabin all those years ago, which he sadly can´t remember. He can´t remember a day that for any other person would be the best day in their life, the day you ask the woman you love to marry you and the night your child was conceived. He only knows now because Rayna told him. He didn´t have these wonderful memories and Rayna´s memories was tainted with pain that he caused her the morning after by drinking and not remember he asked her.

He will go over to her house and speak from his heart, tell her how he feels. That they belong together. Deacon put the ring in his pocket and took his car keys and left the house.

 **...**

 _Rayna thinks after Deacon´s kiss and proposal._

Dear Lord, how much can happen in one evening. First get to give one to Jeff by beating him at his own game. Then Luke´s over the top proposal in a sold out arena, then Deacon comes over and kisses her senseless and propose with putting a ring in her hand and gently fold her fingers around it.

How quickly she forgot what Deacon can do with just one kiss. If he hadn´t stopped kissing her and left, to let her regather her thoughts, she wouldn´t care she just got engaged and yet she was kissing another man. But now when he did, she did feel guilty for what she has just done. She loves Luke, doesn´t she? She knows she will always have strong feelings for Deacon, no matter what she does, he will always have a piece of her heart. But does she love Luke enough to resist Deacon´s pull on her? It would be so easy to just let go and choose Deacon, her body wants it clearly. Could she built something with Luke, something strong and solid that would last? That would hold for her desire for Deacon.

Luke was sweet and sexy, they both had the same sense of humour and he plays guitar. Almost a must in her book, there is nothing sexier then a guitar player. Luke has all the qualities in a man that she wishes and he does turn her on all right, but she shouldn´t compare him to Deacon. She doesn´t know why she does, it´s wrong to compare the other men she has been with to Deacon, but she does and they, well... they fail. They are not even close.

What is she going to do? Take the safe road on paper and choose Luke or take the risk and the more unsure road, following her heart and to be with Deacon again. She really haven´t stopped loving him. When they were together that oh so short time before the accident was everything she imagine it to be, what their lives would be when they left their early years behind them and matured a bit. And now when the secret is out they could be the family they always was meant to have.

But she did really care about Luke, he was a great man, sweet, funny and sexy. He could perhaps with time mean as much to her as Deacon does. He deserved that chance. What is she going to do?


End file.
